Dodge Challenger Hellcat Performs One-Of-A-Kind Airlift Drift: Video

Yes, it’s probably fake, and no, it’s not a commercial for the Dodge Challenger Hellcat., though you’d probably be excused for thinking it is. Despite the fact that the title clearly reads "Pennzoil Airlift Drift," this particular ad drips less with synthetic petroleum than the sight and psychotic soundtrack of this 707-horsepower car doing what it does best: Making noise and tire smoke.

For the first 53 seconds of this ad (for oil), we’re treated to a yellow Challenger Hellcat, sliding its way around what appears (from the opening shot) to be Detroit. Looking right down Woodward Avenue, no less — a street long-famous as the Big Three’s unofficial dragstrip and testing grounds during the 1960s. That makes it a pretty appropriate staging ground for the return of Mopar tire smoke and massive Hemi horsepower. Moreso than the last video like this, anyway.

** SPOILER ALERT **

At about 54 seconds, the Challenger takes a break from its tailsliding antics, and momentary silence descends in place of the Hellcat’s insane blower whine. It’s broken by helicopter blades, connected to choppers which proceed to "lift" a huge portion of Motown into the sky. There, suspended about 500 feet in the air, the Hellcat proceeds to blow off about $300 worth of Pirellis in a circular smokescreen both James Bond and Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be proud of.

The "airlift" is CGI, of course...which is almost a shame, since that distracts a little from the very real spectacle of a bright yellow muscle car doing what we should all be doing in bright yellow muscle cars right now. Still, the "airlift" CGI isn’t as distracting the backdrop of the last "car drifting on a thing" commercial this company produced. That’s right — this Pennzoil ad came from same crew that brought us the "BMW M4 Drifts on an Aircraft Carrier" commercial from last year. Decide for yourself which one you like better...it’s below the Hellcat video.